Our Adoption Journey to Colombia

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after the orphans and widows in their distress. James 1:27

Saturday, December 22, 2012

We began this blog when we started our adoption journey to Colombia to adopt a sibling group of children. As we are now celebrating our second Christmas together as a family, we started a new blog. It is at www.ourkidsfromcolombia.blogspot.com. Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers, and support over the past two years. We hope you will continue to follow our family!

Every year, our church has a special dinner theatre. This year's title was called "A Christmas Post." We are blessed with many talented people in our church. The kids had a great time and got all dressed up for the special night. This was the second year we have gone as a family, and here are our pictures from last year and this year. It is a lot of fun to look back and think about what our life was like as a new family a year ago. We will look forward to seeing what our life will look like during the holiday season of 2013.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Every year, we want to go and have a family portrait made. The kids aren't very excited about always taking pictures, but we keep telling them that one day they will be thankful they have them. Each picture represents a memory we won't be able to get back. It is amazing how much the kids are growing. Angie has definitely taken a growth spurt and will be taller than Lori before we know it! Here are their pictures from last year and then this year.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

The kids went to the mall for a visit with Santa. We don't go to the mall often so it was a new excursion for the kids. Although they enjoyed seeing Santa and the Christmas decorations, the highlight of the trip was walking through the Disney store and playing at the lego store. The next time we have a free evening, we will have to go back again.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

We always start decorating our house for Christmas on the day after Thanksgiving. The kids were excited and a big help, and they loved helping with everything. Angie helped Dainis carry and place everything in the yard. Her job was also to put the branches on the Christmas tree. Ingrid helped Lori put up all the garland and bows around the outside of the house. Juan had a great time using a hammer to stake all of the reindeer down. Ingrid and Juan had the big job of sorting through all of the tree branches and carrying them to Angie. Everyone helped with the ornaments, and we only broke two this year! When the kids are home, they always want the Christmas tree lights on, and the Christmas carols playing.

Our Story of Blessings and Miracles

As some of you know, Lori suffered a stroke caused by a malformation of blood vessels on the right side of her brain in January 2003. Through all of the difficult challenges since then, God has blessed us with many miracles. Our faith, family, and friends are so important to us and we are so excited to share this new journey of faith with you.

What Faith Can Do by Kutless

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Special Dates

3/1/97 When we first met 6/23/97 When we were engaged3/28/98 Our Wedding Day!6/1/02 Dainis graduates with his Bachelor's Degree1/24/03 Lori's stroke5/5/03 Dainis was laid off7/1/03 Dainis moves to AZ9/1/03 Obstacle three hits our family11/10/03 Therapy begins at SWAN Rehab8/5/05 Our current home3/28/08 Our 10th Year Anniversary3/28/09 Our 11th Year Anniversary3/28/10 Our 12th Year Anniversary5/8/10 Dainis graduates with his MBA6/5/10 Our first fundraiser: A Huge Benefit Sale7/12/10 Our first meeting with Lutheran Social Service7/22/10 Our pre-approval letter was sent to Colombia7/25/10 Our first fingerprints7/26/10 Our second fingerprints7/30/10 Our registration forms were sent to LSS8/7/10 Our first home study meeting with ICF!8/25/10 LSS received our application9/1/10 Our home study is done!9/10/10 Our home study rough draft was sent to LSS9/20/10 We received Pre-Approval from Colombia to adopt!9/24/10 Our third set of fingerprints are on their way to the FBI9/30/10 Our psychological evaluation is done10/1/10 Our I800A Form was sent to LSS10/2/10 Our home study was sent to AZ court for approval10//10 Our jewelry and candle fundraiser begins10/16/10 A big change to our adoption plans10/31/10 Our home study was approved by AZ court!11/9/10 Our approved FBI fingerprints arrived today!11/15/10 Our approved home study and I800A forms are on their way to USCIS11/20/10 Our I800A forms made it to USCIS in TX11/29/10 Our I800A forms made it to MO for processing 12/16/10 WE ARE MATCHED!!12/17/10 Our fourth set of fingerprints are off to USCIS 12/20/10 Our dossier is on its way to Colombia!1/7/11 Our I800A was approved by USCIS!1/17/11 WE GOT OUR REFERRAL!!1/19/11 Our I800A approval from USCIS is off to Colombia! 1/24/11 We sent our acceptance letters to Colombia!1/24/11 This is the 8th anniversary of Lori's stroke1/29/11 Our kids's presents arrived in Colombia2/9/11 Our fifth set of fingerprints are off to renew our FBI fingerprint approval, which expires every 6 months2/17/11 We are officially approved to adopt the kids by ICBF!3/1/11 Our translated documents are at our agency 3/3/11 Our Official Referral Call!3/7/11 A very special day for our kids3/11/11 USCIS received our I800 and it is now in process 3/14/11 We received our I-797C, Notice of Action from Homeland Security 3/24/11 Our I-800 Approval has been faxed to the US Embassy in Colombia!3/24/11 Our travel call with LSS to start preparing for travel3/28/11 Our 13th Wedding Anniversary 4/8/11 We arrive in Colombia!4/12/11 Presentation Day with our kids!4/27/11 Our Defender of Minors meeting5/2/11 Our adoption is submitted to court7/11/11 SENTENCIA FINALLY!!7/12/11 Old birth certificates to the notary7/13/11 Pick up new birth certificates, get passports, meet wih the Embassy doctor7/14/11 Apply for the Visas7/15/11 Pick up Visas7/19/11 FINALLY FLY HOME!4/12/12 Our first Gotcha Day as a family!7/18/12 Our first anniversary of being home7/26/12 Our Re-Adoption in AZ

Our New Blog

We are so blessed and thankful to be on this adoption journey. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He wll give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will do this."Psalm 37: 4-5 Thank you for your friendship and support!

Sign-Up To Be A Follower:

To become a follower of our blog, click Follow below, click Create A New Google Account at the bottom of the screen. and enter in your information. Click Follow This Blog. Thanks for signing up so we can know who is following our journey!

God has blessed us with so much and for that we are thankful. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Mathew 7: 7-8

Special Dates

3/1/97 Dainis's First House6/23/97 We are engaged!3/28/98 Our Wedding Day!

1/24/03 The Day Our Lives Were Changed Forever: Lori's stroke!5/5/03 Dainis was laid off

7/1/03 Dainis moves to Goodyear, AZ

9/1/03 Obstacle Three for Our Family

11/10/03 Therapy Begins

3/28/08 Our 10th Anniversary Celebration! Will adoption be part of our lives in the future?

5/8/10 Dainis graduates with his MBA! We are starting the next journey of our lives...Adoption!

7/12/10 We had our first meeting with Lutheran Social Services of MN today.

7/22/10 We submitted a letter to a children's home in Colombia asking for their pre-approval to adopt.

7/26/10 We took our first fingerprints today.

7/30/10 We sent our registration form to Lutheran today, and our adoption journey begins!

8/7/10 We had our first home study meeting with International Child Foundation today.

8/25/10 Lutheran Social Services received our application.

9/1/10 Our home study is all done! The draft will be sent to Lutheran Social Services now for approval.

9/10/10 Our rough draft was sent to Lutheran Social Services today and will be sent to Colombia this week.

9/20/10 We received our pre-approval today!!!

9/24/10 Our fingerprints are now on their way to the FBI.

Special Dates in Our Lives

3/1/97 When we first met
6/23/97 We are engaged!
3/28/98 Our Wedding Day! 6/1/02 Dainis graduates with his Bachelor's Degree!
1/24/03 Lori's Stroke!
5/5/03 Dainis was laid off
7/1/03 Dainis moves to Goodyear 9/1/03 Obstacle three hits our family
11/10/03 Therapy begins at SWAN Rehab
8/5/05 Our current home
3/28/08 Our 10th Year Anniversary! 3/28/09 Our 11th Year Anniversary!3/28/10 Our 12th Year Anniversary!5/8/10 Dainis graduates with his MBA!
6/5/10 Our first fundraiser: A Huge Benefit Sale!7/12/10 Our first meeting with Lutheran Social Services
7/22/10 Our pre-approval letter was sent to Colombia 7/25/10 Our first fingerprints
7/26/10 Our second fingerprints
7/30/10 Our registration forms were sent to Lutheran
8/710 Our first home study meeting with ICF!
8/25/10 Lutheran received Our application
9/1/10 Our home study is done!
9/10/10 Our home study rough draft was sent to Lutheran
9/20/10 We received Pre-Approval Today!!
9/24/10 Our third set of finger prints are on their way to the FBI 9/30/10 Our psychological evaluation is done
10/1/10 Our I-800A Forms were sent to LSS, which will go to USCIS soon
10/2/10 Our home study was sent to AZ Court 10/5/10 Our New Jewelry and Candle Fundraiser Begins!10/6/10 It's Sebastian's 10th Birthday!10/16/10 Payment one for our US adoption fees was sent to Lutheran today
10/20/10 A Big Change To Our Adoption Plans!10/31/10 Our home study was approved by the AZ Court! 1/9/10 Our approved FBI fingerprints arrived today! 11/15/10 Our approved home study is on it's way to USCIS!
11/20/10 Our forms made it to USCIS in TX11/29/10 All of our information is at USCIS in MO for processing! 12/16/10 We Are Matched!!!12/17/10 Our fingerprints are off to USCIS for approval12/17/10 Our fingerprints were electronically approved and sent to USCIS in CA
12/20/10 Our dossier is on its way to Colombia! 1/7/11 Our 1-800A was approved by USCIS!